Read Online Memories of Us by Linda Winfree - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Linda Winfree
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way.”
“Yeah.” Tom rubbed a hand over his nape. That was it. Celia was reading him. That was all. It had to be. “Neither do I.”
She ached, a deep hurt settling into her chest. Celia lifted her glass, sipping at the fruity concoction. One drink and two guys hitting on her hadn’t lifted her spirits and she didn’t have high hopes for the second Summer Solstice or the cute blond at the other end of the bar. She picked the cherry out of her drink and chewed while the blend of embarrassment and disappointment swirled in her.
Why couldn’t he have turned out to be a lousy kisser? She could have moved on then. But no…sweet heaven, the mouth on that man.
“Stop obsessing.” Cicely sucked at her slice of orange, her voice muffled. “It causes wrinkles.”
“I know.” Celia sighed and rested her chin on her hand, eyeing the crowd in the mirror behind the bar. Packed as usual, even on a weeknight, the Cue Club held people laughing around the pool tables, couples wrapped up on the dance floor, friends sharing a late evening meal. “God, what was I thinking?”
“Cee, stop being so hard on yourself. You made a move and you crashed. Big deal. It happens.”
“He’s my boss . I have to see him every day—”
“Fine. So you look him in the eye and you move on. There are a ton of other guys out there.” Cicely pursed her lips and dug in her small bag. She withdrew a tiny vial—old wavy glass with a cork stopper. “Look, if you want it, there’s the answer to your problem.”
“Cis, God! Don’t do that!” Celia palmed the vial and glanced around. It didn’t look like anyone had noticed them. “The rumor mill will have it that you’re dealing drugs. Or that we were doing drugs. Or that—”
“You know, you really spend too much effort worrying what other people think.”
Celia glanced down at the powder in the vial. “What is it?”
A smile tipped the corners of Cicely’s lips. “What do you think?”
Celia traced a finger over the tiny glass bottle, old memories turning over. So many times she’d seen her mama press one of these into the shaking hands of some desperate woman, her soothing voice whispering advice. “Is it one of Mama’s?”
Cicely nodded. “Sprinkle it here in the mornings,” she said, rubbing a finger between her breasts, causing the blond to light up at the end of the bar, “and whisper for him to be still. Before you know it, you’re ready to move on.” She paused for a long beat. “If that’s what you really want.”
Of course it was. Wasn’t it? She tucked it into her pocket. “Thanks.”
“You’re not going to use it.” Cicely tossed her hair over her shoulder. A knowing expression lifted her lips, crinkled the corners of her eyes.
“I might.” Celia sipped at her drink once more. Would her mother’s charm help her forget the humiliation of what had happened in her living room? Too bad she didn’t hold with such. As a little girl, she’d believed in her mother’s “magic”, but later she’d figured out that mostly her mama had simply been a master at evaluating people and helping them find a way through their problems. She really needed Mama’s help getting through this mess she’d made with McMillian.
How could she have misread him so badly? He’d said he was glad she’d told him how she felt, he’d seemed awed by the power of that kiss, as much as she’d been. She tunneled a hand through her hair. Maybe he was right. Maybe it was just a bad idea. Who was she kidding? It was the worst idea ever and she should have thought it through before she’d thrown herself at him. Her cheeks warmed and the sick emptiness of remembered embarrassment twisted her stomach.
“He just walked in the door,” Cicely said. “I won’t bother to tell you not to look.”
Celia cast a casual glance over her shoulder. Sure enough, McMillian made his way to a vacant booth with Rhett High at his side. Her face burned hotter. Certainly, McMillian
“Yeah.” Tom rubbed a hand over his nape. That was it. Celia was reading him. That was all. It had to be. “Neither do I.”
She ached, a deep hurt settling into her chest. Celia lifted her glass, sipping at the fruity concoction. One drink and two guys hitting on her hadn’t lifted her spirits and she didn’t have high hopes for the second Summer Solstice or the cute blond at the other end of the bar. She picked the cherry out of her drink and chewed while the blend of embarrassment and disappointment swirled in her.
Why couldn’t he have turned out to be a lousy kisser? She could have moved on then. But no…sweet heaven, the mouth on that man.
“Stop obsessing.” Cicely sucked at her slice of orange, her voice muffled. “It causes wrinkles.”
“I know.” Celia sighed and rested her chin on her hand, eyeing the crowd in the mirror behind the bar. Packed as usual, even on a weeknight, the Cue Club held people laughing around the pool tables, couples wrapped up on the dance floor, friends sharing a late evening meal. “God, what was I thinking?”
“Cee, stop being so hard on yourself. You made a move and you crashed. Big deal. It happens.”
“He’s my boss . I have to see him every day—”
“Fine. So you look him in the eye and you move on. There are a ton of other guys out there.” Cicely pursed her lips and dug in her small bag. She withdrew a tiny vial—old wavy glass with a cork stopper. “Look, if you want it, there’s the answer to your problem.”
“Cis, God! Don’t do that!” Celia palmed the vial and glanced around. It didn’t look like anyone had noticed them. “The rumor mill will have it that you’re dealing drugs. Or that we were doing drugs. Or that—”
“You know, you really spend too much effort worrying what other people think.”
Celia glanced down at the powder in the vial. “What is it?”
A smile tipped the corners of Cicely’s lips. “What do you think?”
Celia traced a finger over the tiny glass bottle, old memories turning over. So many times she’d seen her mama press one of these into the shaking hands of some desperate woman, her soothing voice whispering advice. “Is it one of Mama’s?”
Cicely nodded. “Sprinkle it here in the mornings,” she said, rubbing a finger between her breasts, causing the blond to light up at the end of the bar, “and whisper for him to be still. Before you know it, you’re ready to move on.” She paused for a long beat. “If that’s what you really want.”
Of course it was. Wasn’t it? She tucked it into her pocket. “Thanks.”
“You’re not going to use it.” Cicely tossed her hair over her shoulder. A knowing expression lifted her lips, crinkled the corners of her eyes.
“I might.” Celia sipped at her drink once more. Would her mother’s charm help her forget the humiliation of what had happened in her living room? Too bad she didn’t hold with such. As a little girl, she’d believed in her mother’s “magic”, but later she’d figured out that mostly her mama had simply been a master at evaluating people and helping them find a way through their problems. She really needed Mama’s help getting through this mess she’d made with McMillian.
How could she have misread him so badly? He’d said he was glad she’d told him how she felt, he’d seemed awed by the power of that kiss, as much as she’d been. She tunneled a hand through her hair. Maybe he was right. Maybe it was just a bad idea. Who was she kidding? It was the worst idea ever and she should have thought it through before she’d thrown herself at him. Her cheeks warmed and the sick emptiness of remembered embarrassment twisted her stomach.
“He just walked in the door,” Cicely said. “I won’t bother to tell you not to look.”
Celia cast a casual glance over her shoulder. Sure enough, McMillian made his way to a vacant booth with Rhett High at his side. Her face burned hotter. Certainly, McMillian
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